Pennsylvania Outdoor News Fishing & Hunting Report – May 10, 2019

Anglers are reminded that walleyes come back into season May 4, and bass are in catch-and-immediate-release season through June 14.

NORTHWEST REGION

Presque Isle Bay (Erie County) — Northern pike were hitting in Misery Bay, and perch were reported off the north and south piers. Following an outstanding bite earlier this spring, early-spawning perch were heading out of the bay at the end of April and another school was expected to move in. Smallmouth bass were beginning to come into the bay in recent weeks. The peninsula marina was yielding crappies, perch and bluegills, and the lagoons were producing crappies in recent weeks. Catches of perch were reported off Don John and Dobbins Landing.

Lake Erie tributaries —Streams on both the east and west sides still had a few steelhead in late April.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County) — Waders and some boat anglers were catching walleyes in the late evening and nighttime hours through late April, with some limits and nice sizes reported on long minnow plugs retrieved near the surface, or minnow-tipped jigs. Night walkers on the causeway were catching walleyes on crankbaits. Perch and crappies also were hitting in the upper part of the lake. Crappies, including a couple of 15-inchers, also were hitting around lily pads in shallow water on two-inch tubes, and perch were reported in shallow water on the south end. Some nice muskies also were released. Bluegills also were biting. Bass anglers reported numbers of fish on spinnerbaits in the lily pads and on crayfish-patterned soft plastics.

Canadohta Lake (Crawford County) — Water returned to a normal level in recent weeks, and crappies were biting.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County) — The north end was yielding crappies, perch and bluegills in recent weeks. Carp were active around the old road north of Millegeville Road.

Shenango Reservoir (Mercer County) — Fish were starting to move shallow in recent weeks, with bass, northern pike, crappies and perch biting during the day. Hybrid striped bass could be caught near-shore when on the feed. White bass also were reported. Crappies were hitting on 10 to 13-foot flats. Channel catfish were beginning to bite in the lake’s warmer sections.

Sugar Creek, Little Sandy Creek (Venango County)— A caddis hatch was reported on both streams in recent weeks. Egg patterns also were effective, especially where there were suckers. One group of three anglers released two dozen trout, mostly rainbows up to 13 inches, and a 25-inch brown trout, on Sugar. Pink, yellow and green salmon eggs, and Rooster Tails were effective.An angler landed a 22-inch walleye on a four-inch creek chub in recent weeks.

Allegheny River (Venango County) — Large numbers of smallmouth bass up to 21 inches were released on tubes and other soft plastics, as well as hair jigs and crankbaits. A few walleyes and northern pike also were reported.

Hills Creek Lake (Tioga County) — Don’s reported that perch were hitting on crawlers and redworms in recent weeks. Crappies also were biting, with live minnows the best bet.

Hammond Lake (Tioga County) — Crappies were hitting but not in big numbers, according to Don’s, in late April. Shore anglers were catching them just inside casting range off rocky shorelines where they were suspended a few feet under the surface. Boaters were catching them near deeper structures and along the creek channel. Live minnows were effective.

Penns Creek (Snyder County) — High, off-color conditions prevailed April 26 and water was in the high 40s, according to TCO Outdoors, which advised trout were rising to Blue-Winged Olives (18-22), Hendricksons (14-16), and Grannom Caddis (12-14) hatches.

SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION

Little Juniata River (Huntingdon County) — Water was above-average in flow and in the low 50s as of April 26, according to TCO Outdoors, which reported Grannom Caddis (12-14), Blue-Winged Olive (18-22), and Midge (20-26) hatches. Effective flies included CDC Black Caddis (12-14), Elk Hair Caddis black (12-14), and Walt’s Worm (12-18)

Roaring Brook (Lackawanna County) — Good conditions made for productive trout fishing in Scranton and Dunmore in recent weeks.

South Branch Tunkhannock, Lake Wilson — Nice catches of trout were reported on both fisheries. Anglers on Lake Wilson were doing well on spinners and pastebaits. The panfish bite also turned on in mid-April.

Oxbow Lake, Lake Winola (Wyoming County) — Trout up to 18 inches were hitting spinners and live bait in recent weeks. Inline spinners and spoons trolled behind boats were working well at Winola.

SOUTHEAST REGION

Octararo Lake (Chester County) — Jim Neary’s Bait and Tackle reported April 26 releases of nice-sized bass on spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Crappies were hitting around the lake, more for boat anglers than shore anglers, with soft plastics on jigs and minnows under bobbers productive. Bullhead catfish were coming on crawlers and chicken livers. In addition, white perch were reportedly showing up on inline spinners and crankbaits.

Delaware River — Brinkman’s Bait and Tackle reported April 26 that striped bass, including some up to 30 and 40 pounds, had moved upriver to Morrisville and Trenton and were hitting blood worms and bunker. One 50-pound striper was caught just south of Philadelphia. Some channel catfish were reported on crawlers, and carp, including a 30-pounder landed in Philadelphia, also were reported, as were perch in this river.

Schuylkill River — A lot of carp action was reported by Brinkman’s as of April 28. Catfish also were hitting.